Major League Baseball is projecting gross revenues of $7 billion for 2010, continuing a run of record-breaking years, and bucking the chilly economy. … In 2009, final revenues were $6.6 billion up from $6.5 billion in 2008. The increase from 2009 to the projected 2010 figure is a remarkable 6.06 percent increase, an incredible jump in an economy that continues to run chilly.

How were the increases reached? Sources at Major League Baseball say one big component is local television deals that have annual escalators. The other is for expiring TV deals in the very competitive market where regional sports networks (RSNs) are clamoring for more live content, there are significant increases.